Sponge-down apparatus



y 1949- c. w. I. THOMAS 2, 6 ,184

SPONGE-DOWN APPARATUS Filed May 8,. 1946 Patented May 3, 1949 SPONGE-DOWN APPARATUS Charles William Ivor Thomas, Market Drayton, EnglandApplication May 8, 1946, Serial No. 668,079 In Great Britain May 15,1945 Claims.

This invention relates to sponge-down apparatus in the form of a basinwhich is provided in a portable form for installation as and whererequired and is particularly useful in places where permanentsponge-down or other washing facilities are not available, as incaravans, yachts, aeroplanes etc. where lack of space precludes theinstallation of a permanent bath.

The invention has for its object to provide a portable basin in which aperson may have a sponge-down but which is easily emptied and can bestored in the minimum of space.

The invention consists in sponge-down apparatus consisting of a portablebasin in which a person may stand so that the waste water may collect inthe bottom of the basin, one end of which is formed with a chamber intowhich this water runs when the basin is supported in a position in whichthis chamber is lowermost and which chamber is adapted for the dischargeof the water.

The invention also consists in sponge-down apparatus in a sponge-downbasin having the further features hereinafter described with referenceto the accompanying drawings and claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a sponge-down basin in accordance with theinvention,

Figure 2 is a side view of the sponge-down basin in Figure 1, and of adetachable cover plate therefor, and

Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the spongedown basin.

In carrying the invention into effect in one convenient manner areceptacle in which a person wishing to have a sponge-down can stand sothat the waste water is collected therein consists of a portable basin Iformed from light sheet metal or other suitable material, including asuitable plastic material, which basin may be of rectangular shape asshown, so that it resembles the body part of a travelling case and isconveniently provided with a carrying handle 2 along one side wallthereof, but the major portion 3 of the top of which is normally openand provides a space in which the person may stand and in which thewaste water may collect for subsequent discharge. The remainder of thetop of the basin is closed by a wall 4 which, with the adjacent wallportions of the basin forms a chamber 5 at one end of the basin intowhich the waste water will run and collect when the basin is supportedin DOS].- tion with this chamber lowermost, This chamber 5 therefore iscontinuous with the interior of the basin but is closed at the normallyopen top of the latter.

When in use the basin would be supported as shown in Figure 3 in whichthe chamber 5 is located at one end of the basin and the bottom 6 of thelatter serves to support a person using the basin, preferably upon aremovable mat I which can be stored within the basin along with otherequipment or articles when the basin is not required for use and isrequired to be transported, during which time the open top portion ofthe basin can be closed by a lid 8.

The interior of the basin is provided with a water level line 9corresponding to the capacity of the chamber 5. To discharge the watercollected in the bottom of the basin the latter is turned into aposition in which the chamber 5 is lowermost. In this position the wateris contained in the chamber 5 and can be discharged therefrom through aspout Ill.

The spout is swivel connected with that end of the front wall 4 of thechamber 5 which is lowermost when the chamber is brought into positionto discharge the water collected in the basin, whereby the discharge endll of the spout can be maintained above the level of the water in thechamber 5 until it is required to discharge the water, when the spout isswung into a position where the outlet end of the spout is below thewater level.

The lid 8 has shallow depending side flanges l2 which are engageableover the side walls of the basin and are capable of being detachablyconnected therewith by suitable fastener means, such as by means ofturnkeys l3 on the side walls of the basin engaged in slots 14 on thesaid flanges of the lid, the top of which latter may be extended at oneend, as indicated at l5, to overlap the said wall 4 and be securedthereto also by turnkeys l3 and slots l4.

In use the bather places the sponge-down basin flat on the flooralongside a bowl of washing water mounted at a convenient height, stepsinto the basin in which the waste water then collects. To empty the traythe bather lifts the basin by the handle 2 on the side opposite thewaste chamber 5, thus causing the water to collect in the latter. Thebasin can then be lifted or carried easily in the upright position anddischarged through the spout I into a bucket or other receptacle.

I claim:

1. A portable sponge-down apparatus comprising an open rectangular bodyportion constructed to resemble a suitcase including a bottom, side andend walls forming a water receiving basin, a top front wall joining theside walls and one end wall providing a chamber at one end of the basinfor. receivinathe wastemwaterflwhen. the chamber -ri lemma: a reovable=1id s mthe open part of the body portion adapted to partlyoverlie the front wall having flanges engaging. the side walls and meansfor removably holding the lid in position. V J

2. A portable sponge-down apparatuscomprising an open rectangularbody'portion constructed to resemble a suitcase including a bottom andside and end walls forming aamatemgeceiying basin, a top front walljoining therzcidetziwalls and one end wall providing a chamber. at oneend of the basin for receiving the waste water when the chamberis-lowermost, a removable lid tor -E her b dyr-m'ti and asmuc-swivellyonnected." cgflia en the,rcnt -w l-: ich joins the, cndwalihmhodtrpcrticm and-no mallahavipg the; anti 4 free edge of the end-wailso as; o be-above thc at le eliin thelwaste; chamber and capab ctbeipgIQWQIQdRWhQQ. ii't r desired toi ischarge th waste water. l

3. A portable bath open at the top and in which a person may stand sothat during sponging down the waste water will collect at the bottom ofthe bath, wherein one end is formed as a trough into which water canfall when the bath is turned from a position in which it is resting onits bottom to a position in which said end is lowermost, the troughhaving a discharge opening at its lower part and means adjustable topermit discharge of water through the opening when the bath is in saidlatter position.

4. A portable bath as claimed in claim 3, havins/a lid for closing theopfien .top,..said,lid havin -releasable m ans which cooperates .withmeans on the bath for securing it in position.

. .5. A portable bath as claimed in claim 3, wheretrough to a positionin which said end is below an .msitionedanea xthe. a0 Numbe;

the trou h ioridisc i t t n s.

WILLIAM IVOR THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED Th iollowing. xeferencessareof. record. inthe filerof;.thts,patent Y I

